


And It Always Leads To You

by alphayamergo



Category: Vampire Academy Series - Richelle Mead
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Exes, F/M, Getting Back Together, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 22:53:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28750257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphayamergo/pseuds/alphayamergo
Summary: Dimtri returns from his self-imposed exile for the fifth anniversary of the attack on Saint Vladimir's. He's spent four years running from the past, but some things are inevitable.
Relationships: Dimitri Belikov/Rose Hathaway
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	And It Always Leads To You

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from Taylor Swift's Tis The Damn Season, which basically single-handedly inspired this fic.
> 
> Tasha framed someone else for Tatiana's murder, so Rose found Jill on a solo mission and she and Dimitri didn't get back together.
> 
> The last time I wrote a Romitri fic was in _2011_ (!!!), but damn if writing them didn't feel like pulling on a cozy old jumper. Hopefully this fic is better than the last ones I wrote, lmao.

Saint Vladimir’s hadn’t changed. Dimitri hadn’t stepped foot in the school grounds for five years, almost to the day. A new generation of students were walking through corridors stretching into high, pointed ceilings, though now they peered out the windows to watch the procession of the cars come to a stop in the courtyard. The academy looked like a university, the old and prestigious kind that humans dreamed of attending. Its only concession to the Moroi’s Russian roots was the domed roof of the church.

The fifth anniversary of the attack on Saint Vladimir’s. The fifth anniversary of Dimitri’s own awakening. It hadn’t been a surprise that it was being commemorated. Nor was it a surprise that guardians from across the country were being called in as extra security when the Queen, the Princess, and representatives from every royal family were attending.

When Dimitri stepped out of the car, Alberta broke off from her conversation with Hans. She walked towards him and offered him her hand, her eyes sad and tired. “It’s been a long time, Belikov.”

He shook her hand, offering her a smile. “I’ll do everything to keep the memorial as safe as possible.”

“Would that we were able to do that five years ago,” said Alberta. “I was relieved – shocked, but relieved – when I heard what the Queen was able to do for you. I can’t imagine -”

“No one can,” said Dimitri. No one but Sonya, and Lee Donahue, though he had reacted very differently to Dimitri.

Alberta hesitated, uncertain whether to say more – but she nodded and turned to address the Guardians as a whole. “The Queen and her entourage arrive tomorrow,” she said, her voice loud and clear. “She will be here for three days. We have scheduled regular patrols around the wards to ensure they aren’t pierced, and many of you will be joining either the academy’s guardians or one of the royals’ details to assist in their usual duties. The schedule can be found in the guardian offices.” There was no need for her to provide directions. Moroi academies were laid out nigh identically, regardless of campus.

As the rest of the guardians broke up, heading for the accommodations or for the office, Alberta turned back to Dimitri. “Some of the others will be glad to see you, if you want to stop by later.”

-

Dimitri was on the first patrol, walking the grounds as the sun just started to peak over the horizon. He peered up it – it couldn’t be more than twelve hours before the Queen’s jet touched down on Saint Vladimir’s runway. He knew it wasn’t her first return to the academy; it was standard for any monarch to spend some feast days at an academy.

“What are the chances of the Strigoi attacking?” grumbled one guardian behind Dimitri. Marina was a fresh graduate: she had cropped her hair into a pixie cut to show off her promise mark, but there were no Molnija marks yet.

“Every chance in the world,” said Dimitri, his voice sharp. “The Strigoi are cruel, and they are aware of what happened here. They would attack again on an anniversary out of spite, and the danger only increases on important anniversary.”

Marina’s eyes widened as she realised who was talking to her. Next to her, Stan added, “And if any of their mortal agents hear that the Queen is coming, then that’s even more reason.”

“Right,” stammered Marina. “Sorry.”

Stan pursed his lips, gesturing for her to lead the group. Her face flushed, she hurried forwards. Stan fell into step next to Dimitri. “I’m sorry about what happened,” said Stan. “If we had known what the Strigoi were going to do to you -”

“You did what you were meant to do,” interrupted Dimitri. “Coming back into the caves would only have seen more of you dead, or turned. I wasn’t worth it.”

He still remembered it. He remembered reaching out towards the tunnel’s mouth, so so close. He remembered Rose straining against her mother’s grip, screaming his name.

No. It was best no one had gone in.

“Everyone here knew that Vasilisa Dragomir was going to be important,” said Stan. “Even before we knew about her specialisation. But what she did – it was a miracle, Belikov. I guess you don’t need to be told that, though.”

Dimitri opened his mouth to agree, but the word caught in throat as his eyes settled on a ramshackle wooden building. “I’ll catch up with you in a minute,” he said instead. “There’s just something I want to check out.”

No Saint Vladimir’s guardian would deny him anything on this weekend of all weekends. Stan waved him off. Dimitri waited for them to fade into the trees before he jogged toward the cabin.

It had been used since he and Rose had been there. That much was clear, taking it in. Someone had replaced the bed covers at some point, and some of the cans of food had disappeared. But the building was still the same. He still remembered thinking that they were going to make it, that day. That he loved her and she loved him and they would find a way to work. Maybe if things had gone differently – if the Mana hadn’t been such fools, if Dimitri had been a little quicker in the tunnels – then maybe they even would have.

He still remembered kissing her on that bed, wishing he could freeze the moment in time. He still remembered – he still remembered his fangs sinking into her throat –

 _No._ Dimitri gripped his silver stake, using it to anchor it back in the now. He was a dhampir again, and he could touch charmed silver. Rose was a successful guardian, the first of the royal guardians. She had escaped him through her own strength and wit. He hadn’t been able to break her.

He looked at the bed and saw the ghost of a younger Dimitri, a younger Rose, hopeful and in love. With a lump in his throat, he turned away.

-

It was just after dusk when the royal jet landed. Vasilisa Dragomir was the first to make her way down the stairs, shaking hands with Kirova then Alberta as she reached the ground. Behind her was her foremost guardian. Rose was dressed in formal guardian wear, a black blazer and slacks over a white dress shirt. Her hair was still long. He didn’t have the right to be glad for that.

She spotted him before she was halfway down the stairs. Her eyes narrowed slightly, then she pointedly looked away, scanning the rest of the crowd.

Behind the two of them came Princess Jillian. She had grown up since he had last seen her, now a young woman with her hair falling in carefully placed curls. He had only ever known the princess for the month he and Sonya had been in Palm Springs, researching spirit with Adrian Ivashkov. And speaking of – Adrian followed her down the stairs, leading a blond woman behind him. The whispers picked up as everybody strained to get a glimpse of the rogue Alchemist, the human bride. Sydney Sage ignored them all as she stood next to Jill, whispering something into the princess’ ear. Jill smiled at her before turning to wave to the students.

Lissa turned to survey the crowd. When she saw Dimitri, her eyes widened and she made a beeline directly for him. Rose followed only a half-step behind. The whispers quieted, a breathless hush taking over as everyone waited to hear what the Queen had to say to the former Strigoi. “Dimitri,” said Lissa as she reached him, smiling warmly. “It’s been too long.”

“Your -” Dimitri cut himself off as Lissa narrowed her eyes at him. “Lissa,” he corrected. “Rose,” he added, his voice even.

“Sonya thinks she’s on the verge of a breakthrough, you know,” said Lissa. “You should come back to Court to help, if you have the time. I know she’d love to have you there for the end of what the two of you started.”

He hadn’t been to Court since less than a week after the elections. He had waited to see Lissa crowned, then – with clear disapproval – she had allowed his request to transfer to an academy on the west coast. If Saint Vladimir’s was filled with ghosts, then Court was filled with the real thing. Everywhere he had looked, Rose had been there.

“Even Adrian’s spending time at Court trying to help,” said Rose. “And he and Sydney are never at Court.”

The Strigoi vaccine, if Sonya was right and it was possible, would be the greatest thing Dimitri had ever contributed to. No amount of Strigoi that Dimitri destroyed himself would ever match up to the amount they could prevent existing entirely through the vaccine. The amount of lives that could be saved…

Well, maybe Dimitri might be able to balance the scales, somewhat.

“I’d be honoured to be there,” said Dimitri. “I’ll let Sonya know that I’m coming. If there’s anything that she and Adrian need from me -”

“An apology for subjecting to me all the conversations about wedding colours would be nice,” said Adrian, strolling over, his hand still intertwined with Sydney.

“I better keep moving,” said Lissa ruefully. “It was good to see you, Dimitri.” As Lissa turned to leave, Dimitri’s eyes met Rose’s, and he wanted to say something – but the moment passed before he could find anything to say, and she followed Lissa away.

Adrian let out a long, low whistle. “My _God_ , that was pathetic,” he said.

“ _Adrian_ ,” chided Sydney. She smiled at Dimitri and said, “Ignore him, Dimitri. It’s good to see you again.”

“I suppose it’s a little late for congratulations, but I’m glad you two are happy together,” said Dimitri, glancing down at their joined hands and the rings on their fingers. Sydney squeezed Adrian’s hand, shooting her husband a quick, easy smile.

“I still had no idea when you were in Palm Springs,” said Sydney. “It was a long road. But I’m glad we walked it.”

Adrian pressed a kiss to the top of Sydney’s head and agreed, “Every damn day.”

-

Dimitri ran from Saint Vladimir’s the day that he was turned, and the truth was that he still hadn’t stopped.

The moment he was cleared as a dhampir, he had left Court and Rose behind. There had been a position available at Alder on the west coast, and it had taken him far away from the clawing guilt.

The day that he had left, Lissa had met him at the airport. She hadn’t brought Rose. She had sat down next to him at the gate and said, “I wish you weren’t going.”

There was still enough of him that saw her as an angel, as his saviour, the miracle that gave him back his soul, that he had hesitated and said, “If you want me to stay and guard you -”

“No,” Lissa had said. “I don’t want you to do anything for me, Dimitri. I want you to have a life of your own. I can’t stop you from making this decision.” She paused, then said, “Actually, there is one thing I’m going to ask of you.”

 _Anything_ was at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t say it. Not when Lissa was Rose’s best friend, and might ask for him to give Rose another chance. She didn’t understand. She didn’t _know._

“I want you to go therapy,” said Lissa. She handed him a business card. “I asked around, and Lev Orvlov is only an hour away from Alder _and_ he specialises in trauma. He’s meant to be good, Dimitri. I know that what spirit did to me isn’t like what being a Strigoi has done to you, but having to go to sessions at school changed my life. It’s worth a try.”

Dimitri took the card, looking over the card. “I’ll give him a call when I land.”

“I didn’t save your life for you to spend it wallowing in guilt,” said Lissa. “Seriously, Dimitri. I want you to try to find a way forward. Promise me that.”

He spent not quite four years at Alder. He tutored students and helped introduce the self-defence classes. (Christian Ozera flew to Alder to help with the first few classes. Dimitri looked at him and sometimes saw Tasha, sometimes saw Rose. Neither was an easy thing to see.)

It had been close to four years since he saw Rose Hathaway before the plane touched down at Saint Vladimir’s. It had been easier that way. But now –

Now he saw her all the time.

-

Dimitri wasn’t sure who had put together the schedule for the guardians, but clearly they thought they had been doing him a favour. Probably someone who had been stationed at the school five years ago, who had seen him mentor Rose for those precious few months. They probably thought that the two of them would enjoy patrolling together after so long.

Whoever it was, they had given Rose and Dimitri nigh-identical schedules.

Dimitri met Rose at the edge of campus a few hours after they had arrived. Rose turned when she heard his footsteps and drawled, “Howdy, partner.”

Dimitri raised his eyebrows at her.

“What, aren’t you into westerns anymore?” scoffed Rose. “You’re still wearing your duster, comrade. You can’t fool me.”

“I’m more astonished that you beat me here,” said Dimitri.

“I’m a guardian now,” said Rose. “I’ve got to be on time these days. Come on,” she added, trudging off through the woods. “It’s honestly kind of nice to be going round campus again. You have no idea how often Lissa and I used to skip classes by sneaking out here.”

“I think I can imagine,” said Dimitri dryly.

Rose shot him a look over her shoulder. “No, you can’t. Compared to before, we were model students after we got back. Well, aside from me dropping out and Lissa’s stunt with Avery.”

Dimitri blinked. “Avery?”

“Right,” said Rose. “Guess you wouldn’t have heard about her. She was a spirit user who wanted to bond with Lissa to become more powerful. She compelled Lissa and Adrian, turned Lissa into a regular party girl – that’s why she and Christian were broken up after you were restored.” She paused, then added, “That’s actually what motivated me to escape, when I realised what Avery was doing.”

“Then I’ll have to thank her,” said Dimitri, quietly.

“Who, Avery?” said Rose. “Trust me, there’s nothing to thank her for. Not a lot left to thank, either, since all the spirit use drove her mad.”

“No, Lissa,” said Dimitri. “For convincing you to escape.”

Rose huffed, turning round to face him and grabbing him by the shoulder to force him to stop. “God, Dimitri,” she said. “I would have thought sometime in the past four years that you would have gotten it into your head. It wasn’t you. I never once blamed you for what happened, because _it wasn’t you._ ”

“Rose -”

“Lissa made me get therapy for a while,” said Rose. “It was after you left. I had a lot of shit to work through because of Russia and Spokane and taking on all of Lissa’s darkness for so long, but you? You, I never regretted, nor did I ever blame you.”

“She made me go to therapy, too,” admitted Dimitri.

“She got Christian to go, too, after Tasha…” Rose shook her head. “Probably for the best. We were all pretty fucked up back then.”

Her hand was still on his shoulder. He wasn’t sure when the last time she had touched him was. Her gaze dropped to her hand, and she pulled it back suddenly. She swallowed, then started walking again, saying over her shoulder, “Did you see that _Cowboys Versus Aliens_ movie?”

“That movie was an _abomination_ ,” said Dimitri automatically, hurrying to catch up with her. Rose cackled, her laughter filling the trees.

By the time they arrived back on the main part of campus, there was a huddle of guardians talking in low, worried voices. Dimitri frowned as he took it in – there hadn’t been any signs of worry around the wards.

One of the guardians spotted them and hurried forwards. “Guardian Hathaway!” he called. “We’re unable to locate the Queen.”

Rose closed her eyes, concentrating, before snapping them back open and saying, “She’s fine – she’s just visiting her old haunts with Christian. They’ll be back at the accommodation soon enough.”

“Bond still going strong?” asked Dimitri.

“She’s got a wall up at the moment,” said Rose. “She’s pretty good at keeping it up all the time now, unless she seriously needs me. I can just tell.” She checked her phone and smiled, tapping out a response. She looked up and said, “Eddie says he’s upstairs with Jill, Adrian and Sydney. Do you want to come with?”

He should say no. He left Court for a reason. But – he liked getting to know Sydney and Eddie during his time at Palm Springs, and he wouldn’t mind hearing what the latest was with the vaccine research from Adrian. “Yes,” he said, surprising himself.

Eddie opened the door for them. He grinned widely at Rose. “Late as always, Hathaway.”

“Blame Dimitri,” said Rose, pushing past Eddie. “He’s slow.”

Eddie turned to look at Dimitri. “Guardian Belikov, it’s good to -”

“Nope!” said Rose. “He’s Dimitri tonight. You’re not allowed to pepper him with questions about being a good guardian. He’s socialising. Make fun of his cowboy obsession instead.”

“Dimitri’s fine,” said Dimitri, before Rose had a chance to go any further in her list of reasons to make fun of him.

Eddie rifled through the mini-fridge before returning and handing each of them a beer each. Rose twisted the cap off of hers and said, “Come on, comrade. I know you don’t have any shifts till at least midday tomorrow. You can afford to live a little.”

By the time Rose and Dimitri left the Sage-Ivashkov suite, there was a warm buzz in Dimitri’s chest. Rose walked beside him, singing the chorus from the last song playing. He couldn’t resist singing the last line alongside her, and Rose stopped in her tracks, gaping at him. “Dimitri Belikov, are you tipsy?”

“Maybe a little,” admitted Dimitri.

Rose laughed. “I can’t believe I’m almost twenty-three and I’m still getting delighted at seeing you do normal things.”

“I’ve always been normal,” said Dimitri. “ _You’re_ the one who’s always extraordinary.”

He wasn’t _that_ tipsy – no more than Rose was, anyway – but it was still enough to break down some of those barriers, enough to let him think the things he hadn’t allowed himself to think for a long time. To admire Rose’s hair, falling in waves around her shoulders, shining even in the dim lighting of the hallway; the way her eyes lit up as she laughed.

Rose stepped closer, running her hands along his arms, slowly, lingering. Dimitri reached up and brushed the hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. It was as soft as he remembered. Rose smiled, just a little, leaning closer.

For the first time in four years, Dimitri kissed her.

Rose responded immediately, pushing herself closer, one hand sliding on to the back of his neck. Dimitri kissed her fiercely, hitching her closer again. Her body fit against his, the movement making her shirt rise up so he could feel the line of warm skin exposed under his hand.

Rose made an impatient noise in the back of her throat – she always had been impatient – and tugged him forward, leading him back down the hallway until they were crashing into her room. Dimitri took a second to lock the door behind them, and when he looked back, she was waiting for him: her hair a wreck, her lips swollen, and fuck, she was beautiful. He had forgotten it, somewhere along the line, how beautiful she was.

“Are you with me?” she asked, her voice low, holding her hand out.

“Always,” breathed Dimitri.

-

By the time Dimitri woke up, Rose was gone.

He had the time to make it back to his own room, shower and change before he had to be downstairs and ready for the service. The seats were half-filled already, and he saw Rose seated beside Lissa in the front row. Lissa was reading over her speech as Rose said something in her ear.

Neither of them were on duty for the service. Since they had both experienced the attack, they were to attend the service as all other survivors were – to whatever extent Dimitri counted as a survivor. Jill, Adrian, Eddie and Sydney were seated in the second row, an unusual group among the royals that surrounded them.

Rose looked up and spotted him in the back. Her lips tightened and she said something to Lissa before she squared her shoulders and walked towards him. Lissa glanced back, her face creased with worry.

“Look,” said Rose as she reached him. “Last night was a mistake.”

“Rose -”

“No, just let me -” Rose let out a frustrated sigh and said, “Let me just say what I have to say. I was willing to be friends, you know. I wanted to be friends. But after last night, I don’t know if the two of us are _capable_ of being just friends, and I can’t do that again, Dimitri. I loved you more than I have ever loved anyone, before or since, and at the end of tomorrow you’re going to be flying back to Alder and I’m not going to see you again for another four years. I can’t _do_ that, Dimitri.” She took a deep breath and continued, “So we’re just going to work together for the rest of the day and tomorrow, the same we’d work with any other guardian, and then we’re going to go our separate ways, okay? No one gets hurt.”

“Okay,” said Dimitri, his voice soft. Rose nodded, quick and decisive. As she turned away, he blurted out, “Rose!”

She looked back at him, her eyes tired. “What is it?”

“For what it’s worth – I loved you, too,” said Dimitri. “More than anything.”

She smiled sadly. “I know. But love fades, remember?”

Dimitri watched as went to sit down back next to Lissa, who touched her arm. He couldn’t see either of their faces. As Kirova got to her feet to welcome everybody, he slipped into a seat near the back.

Lissa was the first speaker. She didn’t need to take her notes with her. She gripped both sides of the podium as she began, “I wish that this memorial didn’t need to be held, but today we’re here to mark one of the worst events in Moroi history. Five years ago today, for all of us who were at Saint Vladimir’s, our lives were split into two clear parts: before the attack, and after.” She looked out over the crowd, making eye contact with different families as she went. “We all lost someone that we knew and cared about that day: teachers, students, guardians – mothers, fathers, children. Brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles – so many of us here at Saint Vladimir’s and around the world had our lives irrevocably changed. Many of us still haven’t recovered everything that we lost that day.

"We mark our lost loved ones today. We remember each and everyone who lost their lives in the cruel attack, and we remember the brave souls who never returned from the rescue mission. But we also remember what we have done in their names: the strengthening of wards at academies around the world, the self-defence abilities that give each and every one of us a chance, and the relationships we built in the aftermath of unspeakable horror.”

Rose watched Lissa without wavering. Her hair was up, Dimitri noticed. He could only just make out her _zvezda._ He should have been there to see her get that tattoo, like he had her first _molnija_ marks. He should have been there to see her get her promise mark.

“We forge forwards,” said Lissa. “We take those losses with us every day, and in some ways, they define us. There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t think of what happened here. There isn’t a day where we don’t wonder what our lives might look like if the attack didn’t happen. But we forge forwards through pathways made for our love of the people we have lost and the people we still have to protect. Our love for each other tore us apart five years ago, but it is also our love for each other that lets us go on, day after day.”

-

The luncheon afterwards was painful and long. He stayed away from Rose and fended off more condolences than he could count. The food was better than he remembered the standard Saint Vladimir’s fare being – he supposed serving the queen and half the Council forced the school to lift its game – but it still felt dry in his mouth.

“Not having much fun?” asked a voice sympathetically. Sydney took the free seat next to him and sat her glass down on the table. Dimitri looked automatically for Adrian, but he was still on the other side of the room with Eddie and Jill. “It’s still a bit strange to be in a school full of vampires,” she said. “Watching so many Moroi leave for the feeders doesn’t help.”

“I’m sure it doesn’t,” agreed Dimitri. “Have you ever spent this much time at an academy before?”

“I spent a month at Court after Adrian and I got married,” said Sydney, grimacing. “Being the only human in a vampire city wasn’t my idea of a honeymoon, but the Alchemists were still looking for me, and Lissa could only shelter me on Moroi territory.”

“Did you get to go on one, in the end?” asked Dimitri.

Sydney smiled. “Oh, yes,” she said. “We spent a month in Greece. It was beautiful.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it,” said Dimitri. “I’ve never been.”

“I’ve been to Russia, too,” said Sydney, cautiously. She wrapped her hands around her glass. “It’s actually where I first met Rose.” There was only one time, to the best of Dimitri’s knowledge, that Rose had been in Russia. The dread must have shown in his eyes, because Sydney said, “The Alchemists have a place they send rogues. I spent four months in there before Adrian got me out. They tried to convince us that all the Moroi and dhampirs were secretly evil creatures of the night, as bad as Strigoi.” Her voice was gentle. “They actually used your picture on me, once or twice. Not on the others – they don’t like to admit spirit is real – but they did on me, because they knew I knew you.”

“Sydney, I -”

“It didn’t work,” said Sydney firmly. “They used your photo because they knew I knew you, but that was exactly why it didn’t work. I knew you. I saw your work with Sonya and you saved our lives from the Warriors. I knew that whatever had happened in the past, you were a dhampir now. They changed tacks after a while.”

“I’m sorry, Sydney,” said Dimitri, quietly.

“I’ve been out for almost four years now, but I’m still finding ways the Alchemists affected me,” said Sydney. “Bits of propaganda I still need to unlearn, triggers that remind me of re-education – but you know what I’ve learnt over the past four years? That it’s easiest when I’m doing it with the people that I love.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” asked Dimitri.

“Because I love Rose,” said Sydney bluntly. “And I think that the both of you deserve better.” She patted his hand and said, “Just think about it.”

-

Dimitri went first to the gym. It was empty, all classes being cancelled that day, and he was left to his memories. From there, he went to the cabin, and sat with the ghosts.

He went to Lissa, and asked the question he hadn’t allowed himself to ask for four years. Lissa had smiled like she had been waiting for it.

His last stop was Rose’s door. He knocked three times, and heard a groan on the other side of the door.

“Yeah, I’ll be done in, like, five seconds, Liss – we don’t have to be at dinner for another ten minutes, come _on_ ,” yelled Rose. At the last word, she swung open the door and stopped still.

“I know that you said you couldn’t do this anymore if I was going back to Alder tomorrow,” said Dimitri. “But if I had asked for a transfer back to Court – do you think that we could maybe just try?”

“Try what?” asked Rose, her eyes guarded.

“I told you that my love had faded,” said Dimitri. “I really, really thought at the time that I meant it. All I had room for was the guilt. I thought that leaving would be better for both of us. But it’s four years later, and I look at you, and I miss you, Roza. I know that there’s no way we can pick up where we left off five years ago, but if we’re both back at Court…”

Rose’s eyes softened. She rested her hand on Dimitri’s cheek and leaned in to kiss him softly. When she pulled away, she said, “I think we might be able to manage that.”

“Thank God,” said Dimitri, and pulled her in again for another kiss.


End file.
